Kuwait national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kuwait

Nickname(s)	Al-Azraq (The Blues) Al-Mouj Al-Azraq (The Blue Wave)
Association	Kuwait Football Association (KFA)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach	Hélio Sousa
Captain	Khaled Al-Rashidi
Most caps	Bader Al-Mutawa (196)
Top scorer	Bashar Abdullah (75)
Home stadium	Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium
FIFA code	KUW
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	158 (7 February 2019)
Highest	24 (December 1998)
Lowest	189 (December 2017)
Elo ranking
Current	97 (3 March 2019)
Highest	28 (September 1980)
Lowest	136 (April 1966)
First international
Kuwait 2–2 Libya  (Morocco; 3 September 1961)
Biggest win
Kuwait 20–0 Bhutan  (Kuwait City, Kuwait; 14 February 2000)
Biggest defeat
United Arab Republic 8–0 Kuwait  (Morocco; 4 September 1961)  Portugal 8–0 Kuwait  (Leiria, Portugal; 19 November 2003)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 1982)
Best result	Group stage (1982)
Asian Cup
Appearances	11 (first in 1972)
Best result	Champions (1980)
Arab Cup
Appearances	8 (first in 1963)
Best result	Third place (1964, 1992, 1998)
Arabian Gulf Cup
Appearances	25 (first in 1970)
Best result	Champions (1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2010)

The Kuwait national football team (Arabic: منتخب الكويت لكرة القدم) represents Kuwait in international football games. It is controlled by the Kuwait Football Association. The team is often called Al-Azraq, which means "The Blues" in Arabic.

Kuwait made its only appearance in the FIFA World Cup in 1982. They managed to get one draw in the group stage against Czechoslovakia. In the AFC Asian Cup, Kuwait reached the final in 1976 and won the tournament four years later in 1980.

The Kuwait national football team has faced several suspensions by FIFA. These happened because of problems with how football was run in the country. These suspensions caused the team to miss big tournaments. This included the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. It also made their FIFA World Rankings drop a lot. After the last suspension was lifted in 2017, Kuwait hosted the Gulf Cup.

Team History & Achievements

Early Football Successes

Kuwait's first international match was in 1961 against Libya. It ended in a 2–2 draw. Their biggest losses were 8–0 defeats to the United Arab Republic and Portugal. In 1974, Kuwait hosted the Arabian Gulf Cup and won their third title in a row. They also won the AFC Asian Cup in 1980.

Kuwait's national football team joined the World Cup in 1982 in Spain. They were in Group 4 and lost to England and France. They managed a draw against Czechoslovakia. Kuwait's highest FIFA ranking was 24th place in December 1998.

Bader Al-Mutawa has played the most games for the Kuwaiti team. Bashar Abdullah is their top goal scorer. Kuwait has won the Arabian Gulf Cup ten times, making them the most successful team in that competition. Luiz Felipe Scolari, who later won the FIFA World Cup with Brazil, was a successful manager for Kuwait. He led them to win the 1990 Arabian Gulf Cup. He left the country after the 1990 invasion by Iraq.

Kuwait's largest victory was a 20–0 win against Bhutan in 2000. This was one of the biggest wins in international football at the time.

Impact of the Iraqi Invasion

The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 greatly affected the Kuwaiti national football team. During this time, sports activities stopped. Many athletes, including football players, had to leave their homes or the country. The Kuwait Football Association's buildings were damaged. All football games in Kuwait were paused. Because of this, the national team missed the 1992 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was an important person in Kuwaiti sports. He was the President of the Kuwait Football Association and a member of the International Olympic Committee. Under his leadership, Kuwait won the 1980 AFC Asian Cup and qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. This made them the first Arab nation from Asia to do so. He died during the invasion in 1990. His legacy is remembered through tournaments and stadiums named after him.

Despite these challenges, the Kuwaiti national football team played in the 1990 Asian Games in China. The Kuwaiti Olympic Committee, working from Saudi Arabia, organized their participation. Forty-two Kuwaiti athletes, including 23 football players, went to Beijing.

Kuwait was in Group C with Thailand, Yemen, and Hong Kong. The team finished seventh overall. They had one win, one draw, and two losses. They scored three goals and let in four. Playing in the 1990 Asian Games, even during a national crisis, showed Kuwait's strength and pride.

Group C Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Thailand	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3	5
2	Kuwait	3	1	1	1	3	3	0	3
3	Hong Kong	3	1	0	2	3	4	−1	2
4	Yemen	3	0	2	1	0	2	−2	2

The Kuwaiti Premier League, the country's football league, was also stopped. This meant players lost valuable practice in competitive games. Many training places and stadiums were damaged or used for military purposes. This made it harder for the team to train and improve. Also, after the invasion, there was less money for sports. This affected the quality of training and support for athletes.

After these tough times, the team slowly got better. In 1996, Kuwait won the Arabian Gulf Cup. This showed their ability to recover. The national team also qualified for the semi-finals of the 1996 AFC Asian Cup. This was a big achievement given what they had been through. The invasion had long-lasting effects on sports, but Kuwaiti athletes and officials showed great determination in rebuilding their football.

FIFA Suspensions

On October 30, 2007, FIFA stopped Kuwait from playing in international football. This was because of government involvement in the national football association. The ban was lifted in less than two weeks. On October 24, 2008, Kuwait was suspended again by FIFA. This was for not holding elections for the General Assembly. FIFA temporarily lifted this suspension on December 22, 2008.

On October 16, 2015, Kuwait was suspended for a third time. FIFA did not approve of a new sports law in the country. Kuwait tried to get the suspension lifted at the 66th FIFA Congress, but it was not approved. The Gulf Cup tournament, which was supposed to be in Qatar, was moved to Kuwait. The suspension was lifted on December 6, 2017, after Kuwait passed a new sports law. By this time, the team's FIFA World Ranking had dropped from 139th to 189th place. This was because they had not played many games. They also missed the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

On December 7, 2017, it was announced that Kuwait would host the 2017 Gulf Cup tournament. This happened after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain had all pulled out. The tournament was first planned for Qatar. But because of the Qatari diplomatic crisis, it was moved to Kuwait. The nations that had pulled out then rejoined.

Recent Team Revival

During the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, Kuwait was in Group B. They played against Australia, Jordan, Nepal, and Chinese Taipei. Kuwait's performance showed the effects of past suspensions. They lost 0–3 twice. Still, this was Kuwait's best qualification effort since 2006. They finished second but did not move on to the third round.

In June 2022, Kuwait hosted the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Kuwait did not qualify. They lost to Indonesia and Jordan.

In June 2023, Kuwait was invited to play as a guest team in the 2023 SAFF Championship. They finished as runner-up, losing to India in a penalty shootout in the final.

In June 2024, Kuwait qualified for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after nine years. They also moved into the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.

After a match against Iraq in September 2024, which ended in a 0–0 draw, the Kuwait Football Association board resigned. This was due to problems at the stadium, where fans faced extreme heat and some could not get in. The Kuwaiti FA investigated and accepted the resignations of several officials. They also suspended their Secretary-General and Public Relations Director. A new acting Secretary-General was appointed to lead the federation.

After that match, Kuwait had mixed results. On October 10, 2024, they lost 0–4 to Oman. On October 15, they drew 2–2 with Palestine. On November 14, they lost 1–3 to South Korea. On November 19, they drew 1–1 with Jordan. In December, Kuwait played three friendly games in Doha. They drew 1–1 with Yemen and lost twice to Lebanon (1–2 and 0–2).

During the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait in December 2024, the team aimed to win their eleventh title. They drew 1–1 with Oman. Then, they had a great 2–1 win over the United Arab Emirates. In their last group game, Kuwait drew 1–1 with Qatar. This meant they reached the semi-finals. In the semi-final, they lost 0–1 to Bahrain, ending their hopes of winning the cup at home.

The tournament showed Kuwait was becoming a strong team again. Local media praised their fighting spirit. Many fans came to watch the games. However, some people still thought the team needed to score more goals. There were also calls for better youth training and coaching.

In 2025, the Kuwait national football team continued to have mixed results. On March 20, Kuwait drew 2–2 with Iraq. Yousef Nasser scored both goals for Kuwait. Iraq scored two late goals to tie the game.

Five days later, on March 25, Kuwait lost 0–1 to Oman at home. Issam Al-Subhi scored the winning goal for Oman.

Team Look & Home Ground

Kit and Emblem

The Kuwait national football team is known for its blue home kits. This color represents Kuwait's connection to the sea and the blue of the Arabian Gulf. The team's emblem features a falcon, which is a national symbol of Kuwait. Adidas has been Kuwait's official kit provider since 2023.

Period	Kit Provider
1980–1991	Puma
1992–1997	Grand Sport
1997–2001	Kelme
2001–2002	Umbro
2003–2008	Saller
2009–2011	Burrda
2012–2013	Kappa
2014–2015	Uhlsport
2017–2022	Erreà
2023–present	Adidas

Stadiums Used

Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium

The Kuwait national football team mainly plays its home games at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. This is a modern stadium opened in 2009. It can hold over 60,000 fans. It has hosted big international matches, including Gulf Cup games.

Before this stadium was built, the team played most home games at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium. This is a smaller stadium linked to Al-Qadsia SC. Kuwait has also used other stadiums sometimes. These include Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium and Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah Stadium. These are chosen for practical reasons or for specific tournaments.

A new stadium, Sulaibikhat Stadium in Sulaibikhat, opened in December 2024. It is designed only for football, without a running track. It can hold 15,000 fans. It is the home ground for Sulaibikhat SC and has also hosted some matches for Al-Arabi SC.

Broadcasting Matches

Kuwait national football team matches are mostly shown on Kuwait TV Sport. This channel provides full commentary on the games. During big tournaments like the Arabian Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup, games are also shown on beIN Sports and Dubai Sports.

Team Rivalries

Kuwait vs. Iraq

Statistics vs.  Iraq Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA 37 8 11 17 36 50 1. Only matches recognized by FIFA. 2. Wins for Kuwait.

The rivalry between Iraq and Kuwait is one of the most famous in Arab football. It started in the mid-1970s. From 1976 to 1986, both teams were very strong in the region. They both dominated the Gulf region. From 1970 to 1990, only Kuwait (seven times) and Iraq (three times) won the Gulf Cup.

In 1976, they met in the semi-final of the 1976 AFC Asian Cup. Kuwait won in extra time. In 1979, Iraq won their first Gulf Cup against Kuwait. Both teams also qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games and reached the quarter-finals. Iraq also qualified for the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Kuwait won the 1980 AFC Asian Cup as hosts. Kuwait qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. Iraq qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.

When Iraq and Kuwait traded Gulf titles in 1988 and 1990, no one expected their football rivalry to be replaced by war. Because of the Gulf War, Iraq and Kuwait did not play each other for over ten years. Kuwait's team recovered, winning the Gulf Cup in 1996 and 1998. They won their record 10th title in 2010. Iraq won the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

Kuwait vs. Saudi Arabia

Statistics vs.  Saudi Arabia Played1 Wins2 Draws Losses GF GA 42 15 13 15 44 44 1. Only matches recognized by FIFA. 2. Wins for Kuwait.

The football rivalry between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia is very exciting in the Gulf region. It has a long history of competition and national pride. This rivalry is often seen in the Arabian Gulf Cup and other regional tournaments. Kuwait had great success in the 1970s and 1980s. They won the 1980 AFC Asian Cup and were the first Arab nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 1982. Key players like Jassem Yaqoub, Faisal Al-Dakhil, and Saad Al-Houti were very important during this time.

Saudi Arabia became more successful in the late 1980s and 1990s. They qualified for the FIFA World Cup many times starting in 1994. They also won three AFC Asian Cups in 1984, 1988, and 1996. Famous players like Majed Abdullah, considered one of Asia's best footballers, and Sami Al-Jaber, who played in four FIFA World Cups, helped Saudi Arabia achieve these successes.

Important matches in this rivalry include the 1980 Arabian Gulf Cup final. Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia 3–1, showing their strength. In the 1998 Arabian Gulf Cup, Saudi Arabia won, showing their growing power in regional football. The 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers also had a dramatic game. Saudi Arabia won 1–0, which helped them qualify for the World Cup.

Recent Match Results

Here are the match results from the last 12 months and upcoming games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

India  v  Kuwait

6 June 2026 World Cup qualification R2	India	0–0	Kuwait	Kolkata, India
19:00 UTC+5:30				Stadium: Salt Lake Stadium Attendance: 58,921 Referee: Fu Ming (China)

Kuwait  v  Afghanistan

11 June 2026 World Cup qualification R2	Kuwait	1–0	Afghanistan	Farwaniya, Kuwait
18:45 UTC+3	5'			Stadium: Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium Attendance: 11,680 Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)

Jordan  v  Kuwait

5 September 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Jordan	1–1	Kuwait	Amman, Jordan
21:00 UTC+3	Al-Tamari  14'		Nasser  90+2' (pen.)	Stadium: Amman International Stadium Attendance: 13,555 Referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)

Kuwait  v  Iraq

10 September 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Kuwait	0–0	Iraq	Kuwait City, Kuwait
21:00 UTC+3				Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 58,000 Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)

Oman  v  Kuwait

10 October 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Oman	4–0	Kuwait	Muscat, Oman
20:00 UTC+4	A. R. Al-Mushaifri  17', 58' Al-Ghassani  30' Fawaz  79'			Stadium: Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex Attendance: 25,891 Referee: Alireza Faghani (Australia)

[[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]]  v  Kuwait

15 October 2026 World Cup qualification R3	[[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]]	2–2	Kuwait	Doha, Qatar
19:00 UTC+4	Abou Ali  41' (pen.) Z. Qunbar  90+3'		Nasser  31' (pen.), 80'	Stadium: Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Attendance: 1,827 Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)

Kuwait  v  South Korea

14 November 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Kuwait	1–3	South Korea	Kuwait City, Kuwait
17:00 UTC+3	Daham  60'		Oh Se-hun  10' Son Heung-min  19' (pen.) Bae Jun-ho  74'	Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 22,791 Referee: Shaun Evans (Australia)

Kuwait  v  Jordan

19 November 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Kuwait	1–1	Jordan	Kuwait City, Kuwait
21:15 UTC+3	Daham  68'		Al-Naimat  21'	Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 24,900 Referee: Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)

Kuwait  v  Yemen

9 December Friendly	Kuwait	1–1	Yemen	Doha, Qatar
18:00 UTC+3	Al-Awadhi  90+5'		Sabarah  86'	Stadium: Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium

Kuwait  v  Lebanon

12 December Friendly	Kuwait	1–2	Lebanon	Doha, Qatar
18:00 UTC+3	Bouresli  11'		El Zein  75' Merheg  90'	Stadium: Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium

Kuwait  v  Lebanon

15 December Friendly	Kuwait	0–2	Lebanon	Doha, Qatar
18:00 UTC+3			Kassas  4' Khamis  41'	Stadium: Suheim bin Hamad Stadium

Kuwait  v  Oman

21 December 26th Arabian Gulf Cup GS	Kuwait	1–1	Oman	Kuwait City, Kuwait
20:00 UTC+3	Nasser  34'		Al-Sabhi  42'	Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 42,445 Referee: Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)

United Arab Emirates  v  Kuwait

24 December 26th Arabian Gulf Cup GS	United Arab Emirates	1–2	Kuwait	Kuwait City, Kuwait
20:30 UTC+3	Caio  5'		Daham  16' M. Al-Enezi  89'	Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 48,621 Referee: Dahane Beida (Mauritania)

Kuwait  v  Qatar

27 December 26th Arabian Gulf Cup GS	Kuwait	1–1	Qatar	Kuwait City, Kuwait
17:30 UTC+3	Daham  74'		Muntari  90+11'	Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 57,742 Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)

Bahrain  v  Kuwait

31 December 26th Arabian Gulf Cup SF	Bahrain	1–0	Kuwait	Kuwait City, Kuwait
20:45 UTC+3	Marhoon  75'			Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 60,122 Referee: István Kovács (Romania)

2025 Matches

China  v  Kuwait

15 March 2025 (2025-03-15) Friendly	China	3–1	Kuwait	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
21:00 UTC+4

Iraq  v  Kuwait

20 March 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Iraq	2–2	Kuwait	Basra, Iraq
21:15 UTC+3	Hashim  90+3' Bayesh  90+11'		Nasser  39', 70'	Stadium: Basra International Stadium Referee: Ma Ning (China)

Kuwait  v  Oman

25 March 2026 World Cup qualification	Kuwait	0–1	Oman	Kuwait City, Kuwait
21:15 UTC+3			Al-Sabhi  56'	Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 41322 Referee: Salman Ahmad Falahi (Qatar)

Kuwait  v  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]]

5 June 2025 (2025-06-05) 2026 World Cup qualification R3	Kuwait	0–2	[[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]]	Kuwait City, Kuwait
21:15 UTC+3			Seyam  32' Abou Ali  88' (pen.)	Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium Attendance: 5,250 Referee: Sadullo Gulmurodi (Tajikistan)

South Korea  v  Kuwait

10 June 2026 World Cup qualification R3	South Korea	4–0	Kuwait	Seoul, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9				Stadium: Seoul World Cup Stadium

Indonesia  v  Kuwait

1-9 September Friendly	Indonesia	v	Kuwait	Jakarta, Indonesia
--:-- UTC+7

Kuwait  v  Lebanon

1-9 September Friendly tournament	Kuwait	v	Lebanon	Jakarta, Indonesia
--:--

Kuwait  v  Mauritania

November 2025 FIFA Arab Cup	Kuwait	v	Mauritania	Doha, Qatar
--:-- UTC+3				Stadium: TBD

Coaching History

Current Players

Team Roster

The following 26 players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification games in June 2025. These games are against Palestine and South Korea.

Caps and goals are updated as of March 25, 2025, after the game against Oman.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Ahmed A'adi Al-Khaldi	(1989-03-28) 28 March 1989 (age 36)	1	0	Al-Fahaheel
22	1GK	Sulaiman Abdulghafour	(1991-02-26) 26 February 1991 (age 34)	48	0	Al-Arabi
23	1GK	Saud Al-Hoshan	(2000-03-18) 18 March 2000 (age 25)	0	0	Al-Kuwait
	1GK	Khaled Al-Rashidi	(1987-04-20) 20 April 1987 (age 38)	42	0	Al-Qadsia
2	2DF	Khaled Al-Fadhli	(2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Al-Qadsia
3	2DF	Meshari Ghanem	(1998-09-15) 15 September 1998 (age 26)	23	0	Al-Kuwait
4	2DF	Rashed Al-Dousari	(2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 25)	18	0	Al-Qadsia
5	2DF	Fahad Al-Hajeri	(1991-11-10) 10 November 1991 (age 33)	104	6	Al-Kuwait
6	2DF	Jasem Al-Mutar	(2006-04-17) 17 April 2006 (age 19)	2	0	Al-Qadsia
7	2DF	Muath Al-Dhefiri	(1997-05-20) 20 May 1997 (age 28)	6	0	Al-Qadsia
12	2DF	Hamad Al-Harbi	(1992-07-25) 25 July 1992 (age 33)	46	0	Kazma
13	2DF	Mohammad Khaled	(1996-05-24) 24 May 1996 (age 29)	8	0	Al-Arabi
	2DF	Abdulwahab Al-Awadi	(2002-06-02) 2 June 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Al-Arabi
	2DF	Hassan Al-Enezi	(2000-09-01) 1 September 2000 (age 24)	25	1	Al-Ahli
8	3MF	Ahmed Al-Dhefiri	(1992-01-09) 9 January 1992 (age 33)	74	5	Al-Kuwait
10	3MF	Fawaz Ayedh	(1997-02-21) 21 February 1997 (age 28)	32	1	Al-Salmiya
14	3MF	Redha Hani	(1996-04-22) 22 April 1996 (age 29)	45	1	Al-Kuwait
16	3MF	Mobarak Al-Faneeni	(2000-01-21) 21 January 2000 (age 25)	37	5	Al-Qadsia
17	3MF	Muath Al-Enezi	(2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 22)	12	1	Al-Salmiya
18	3MF	Hussain Ashkanani	(2002-01-26) 26 January 2002 (age 23)	7	0	Al-Arabi
19	3MF	Mahdi Dashti	(2001-10-26) 26 October 2001 (age 23)	13	0	Al-Salmiya
9	4FW	Ahmad Zanki	(1995-12-17) 17 December 1995 (age 29)	15	1	Al-Kuwait
11	4FW	Talal Al-Qaisi	(2002-02-24) 24 February 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Kazma
15	4FW	Yousef Majed	(2005-01-14) 14 January 2005 (age 20)	10	0	Al-Arabi
20	4FW	Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi	(2004-01-12) 12 January 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Al-Nasr
21	4FW	Salman Al-Awadhi	(2001-05-21) 21 May 2001 (age 24)	19	2	Al-Arabi
	4FW	Mohammad Daham	(2000-02-17) 17 February 2000 (age 25)	29	7	Al-Kuwait
	4FW	Yousef Nasser	(1990-10-09) 9 October 1990 (age 34)	121	55	Al-Kuwait

Recent Call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Kuwait squad in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Abdulrahman Kameel	(2001-03-08) 8 March 2001 (age 24)	9	0	Al-Kuwait	v.  Jordan; 19 November 2024
GK	Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli	(2001-03-23) 23 March 2001 (age 24)	0	0	Al-Salmiya	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
DF	Khalid El Ebrahim	(1992-08-28) 28 August 1992 (age 32)	58	3	Al-Qadsia	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
DF	Sami Al-Sanea	(1993-01-09) 9 January 1993 (age 32)	31	1	Al-Kuwait	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
DF	Salman Bormeya	(1992-07-25) 25 July 1992 (age 33)	7	0	Al-Nasr	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
DF	Nasser Khader	(2003-10-14) 14 October 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Al-Nasr	26th Arabian Gulf Cup
DF	Hamad Al-Qallaf	(1999-12-04) 4 December 1999 (age 25)	26	0	Al-Arabi	v.  Iraq; 10 September 2024
DF	Abdulaziz Wadi	(1998-12-06) 6 December 1998 (age 26)	5	0	Al-Qadsia	v.  Afghanistan; 11 June 2024
MF	Eid Al-Rashidi	(1999-05-25) 25 May 1999 (age 26)	52	4	Al-Qadsia	v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 5 June 2025 WD
MF	Abdulaziz Wadi	(1998-12-06) 6 December 1998 (age 26)	3	0	Al-Qadsia	v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 5 June 2025 INJ
MF	Sultan Al-Enezi	(1992-09-29) 29 September 1992 (age 32)	70	0	Dhofar	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
MF	Khaled Al-Mershed	(1999-04-06) 6 April 1999 (age 26)	1	0	Al-Arabi	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
MF	Faisal Zayid	(1991-10-09) 9 October 1991 (age 33)	67	7	Al-Kuwait	26th Arabian Gulf Cup
MF	Montaser Al-Abdulsalam	(2005-05-17) 17 May 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Kazma	26th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF	Athbi Shehab	(1993-10-14) 14 October 1993 (age 31)	18	1	Al-Qadsia	v.  Jordan; 19 November 2024
MF	Abdelmohsen Al-Ajmi	(1998-04-09) 9 April 1998 (age 27)	2	0	Al-Fahaheel	v.  Jordan; 19 November 2024
MF	Talal Al-Ansari	(1996-01-01) 1 January 1996 (age 29)	0	0	Al-Tadamon	v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]]; 15 October 2024
MF	Abdullah Al-Fahed	(1997-02-12) 12 February 1997 (age 28)	14	0	Kazma	v.  Afghanistan; 11 June 2024
MF	Bader Al-Fadhel	(1997-04-22) 22 April 1997 (age 28)	12	2	Al-Arabi	v.  Afghanistan; 11 June 2024
FW	Ali Khalaf	(1995-01-16) 16 January 1995 (age 30)	22	1	Al-Arabi	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
FW	Fawaz Al-Mubailish	(1999-01-08) 8 January 1999 (age 26)	3	0	Al-Nasr	v.  Oman, 25 March 2025
FW	Bandar Bouresli	(1996-01-01) 1 January 1996 (age 29)	7	1	Kazma	26th Arabian Gulf Cup
FW	Khaled Al-Kharqawi	(2006-09-12) 12 September 2006 (age 18)	0	0	Al-Kuwait	26th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
INJ Withdrew due to injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.

Past Squads

Here are links to the squads Kuwait has used in past major tournaments:

World Cup squads

• 1982 FIFA World Cup squad

Asian Cup squads

• 1972 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 1976 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 1980 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 1984 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 1988 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 1996 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 2000 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 2004 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 2011 AFC Asian Cup squad
• 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad

Team Records

Players in bold are still active with Kuwait.

Most Games Played

Bader Al-Mutawa has played the most games for Kuwait with 196 appearances.

Top Goal Scorers

Team Achievements

Continental Titles

• AFC Asian Cup
  • Champions (1): 1980
  • Runners-up (1): 1976
  • Third place (1): 1984
• Asian Games
  • Silver medal (2): 1982, 1998
  • Bronze medal (2): 1986, 1994

Regional Titles

• Arab Cup
  • Third place (3): 1964, 1992, 1998
• Arab Games
  • Bronze medal (2): 1992, 2011
• Arabian Gulf Cup
  • Champions (10): 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2010
  • Runners-up (1): 1979
  • Third place (1): 2013, 2002
• West Asian Games
  • Gold medal (1): 2002
  • Bronze medal (1): 1997
• WAFF Championship
  • Champions (1): 2010
• SAFF Championship
  • Runners-up (1): 2023

Friendly Tournaments

• Focus International Cup (1): 2011

Awards

• Arabian Gulf Cup Fair Play Award (1): 2017-18

Summary of Official Honours

These are the official honors recognized by FIFA or its related football groups.

Senior Competition				Total
AFC Asian Cup	1	1	1	3
Total	1	1	1	3

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Kuwait para niños